


Strings

by moonewriting



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Identity Reveal, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Jealous Lila Rossi, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Lila Rossi Lies, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Love is complicated, Manipulative Lila Rossi, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, One-Sided Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Lila Rossi, Past Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Past Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Love, Red String of Fate, Romantic love, Soul Bond, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29118384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonewriting/pseuds/moonewriting
Summary: In a world that reveals ones bonds with soul strings, things are much more complicated than simply seeing. Adrien has had little luck when it comes to soul strings. And now one rots away, causing great pain yet along with it brings him with his destiny.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Kudos: 10





	1. Chapter 1

"I don't get it, why don't you guys believe me?" the green eyed model yanked at his blonde hair. "I'm telling you, I never meant to agree to her. I didn't even know she meant tying her string to me!"

"Yo, Adrien, calm down," His supposed best friend tried to placate him. "It's just really hard to think about, you know? A soulstring rotting. I mean that's like one of the most painful experiences ever, and like super rare my man."

"It is, and I'm telling you Lila's string is rotting," Adrien growled. "I can't keep doing this. I just want this to be over."

"But soulstrings only rot if the relationship is you know," Alya shrugged, the implication hitting everyone in the room. "I mean, are you sure it's not just thinning. Because if you and Lila-"

"I don't want to be tied to her," Adrien snapped. "I never wanted this. I-this wasn't supposed to happen."

Adrien slumped into his chair, face in his palms.

"I can't be tied to someone I don't love," Adrien whimpered.

"Oh, Adrien," Marinette barely reached out before her peers' gaze hit her. They all knew, Marinette was so unlucky. Still she ignored them, feeling compelled to do something, anything to ease his sorrow. "I'm so sorry."

"Mari?" Adrien looked up at her, tears pooling in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Adrien," Marinette easily caught him as he launched himself into her, crying above her. It was all she could do to soothe his pain, praying that the string would just snap so he could be released. "I got you."

"I don't think that's a good idea," Alya went to remove Adrien, but he just buried himself into Marinette, clinging to her like a lifeline. No one was separating them anytime soon.

"Well, maybe if someone else could see it, everyone would have to admit it's actually real," Nino suggested, receiving knowing glares from the girls.

"But I don't have anyone else," Adrien whispered. "Not who can say anything."

"Oh," Marinette felt her chest break at his admission, even now he didn't know. Still she could see his other string, thin though as it was. Her own string was attached to him. But he didn't need that right now, he needed a friend. "Are you sure?"

"I-," Adrien hiccupped. His shaking form all but dragging Marinette down with him. "I can't."

"Hey, it's okay, you don't have to tell us anything you don't want to," Marinette assured, though her own heart contorted as he continued to sob into her shoulder. His broken apologies went unheard by everyone else. "You're going to be okay. I've got you, I promise I'm still here. _ **I-I'll always be here.**_ "

Marinette could feel the pity pouring off her classmates at her admission. She knew what they thought of her. Of her soulstring. But they wouldn't know that she could feel her other string being pulled taunt. That she could feel it slowly tearing apart, as she desperately clung to her end. Hopelessly trying to stop it from snapping even as she held onto the one that continued to brighten.

_It wasn't fair_. She couldn't let it break, not now. But her tears fell as she felt Adrien's own sorrow. His misery burrowed deep within her, and stole back her attention... and her affections. She knew it wouldn't last. Tying her string to Chat Noir had always been a risky move. But she didn't want to hurt him, wherever he was. He'd feel the painful snap if their connection were to break.

Adrien was no better off. He could see the string Marinette had tied to him, it was so terribly frayed. Somehow, it was so much worse than the rotting line that tied him to that witch, as Plagg so often referred to her. He couldn't lose Marinette. Not now, not when she was holding his shattered pieces together. Not when Ladybug would never see his string. He'd known, he'd always known she was bound to another. It was such bad luck to be the one on the end of an unrequited string.

No one knew that though. Adrien couldn't tell anyone. Yet here was Marinette vowing to stay with him, to help him. All the while her connection to Chat diminished.

Finally he felt the connection break. He knew there would be pain, but he could never prepare himself for it. He could barely recognize his own scream, but Marinette was crying right along with him.

**His princess.**

He wouldn't dare look at her now. He couldn't. She was no longer his to love. The connection was no longer reciprocated. And her muffled cries were enough torture. Still Lila's remained. He could feel the vile thing wrapped tightly to him. He felt her forcing it to remain no matter how much it hurt them both.

He didn't remember when he'd closed his eyes. But as he opened them, he could see the sympathy of everyone. Mme. Bustier had returned, and she looked devastated by the scene before her. The rarity of any connection breaking was hard to swallow. Let alone it being one of a person still so young.

Quickly avoiding her gaze, Adrien looked to his prin-no to Marinette. She was pale. So pale, yet she clung to him with trembling arms, keeping him from falling. Even when she was in immeasurable pain she'd managed to keep them upright on the wooden floor. Forging through her own torment for the sake of someone else. Always, so selfless. He would've laughed or even smiled had he not been looking at her. The pain he'd felt through Adrien for Chat Noir wouldn't be one-sided. She'd be feeling it as well.

He couldn't bear to see her puffy red eyes any longer. Looking down he froze.

_How? Why?_

There was another string. It was radiant, almost blindingly so. He followed the trail, tracking its source. Only to realize his princess, his Marinette was tied to him. He saw a flicker in her eyes as she watched him, and she glanced down at her own string.

She flinched and looked to be in shock as she released him. Holding onto her hand.

"M? What's wrong?" Alya asked.

"A-Adrien?" Marinette timidly looked at him, tears pooling in her eyes yet again. _ **NO** , please don't cry_. "I-I-but."

"You can see it?" Adrien felt freed. Yes that's what he would call it. The impossible bliss and relief that mingled with his pride and hope. "I, Marinette."

"What's going on?" Lila entered the room panting, Adrien nor Marinette could contain their flinch at her voice. "Oh, Adrien, what's wrong? I knew I felt something was wrong. I just had to see if you were okay?"

She was sickening to say the least. How she could see them both so plainly flinch _in front of everyone_ , and still keep up her act. He didn't know why, but he felt himself waiting for something to happen. Glancing to his side he immediately realized what. Marinette was typically ready to call out Lila. This time Marinette didn't look ready to fight, instead she looked petrified. Adrien felt frigid rage at the inkling of fear he could feel.

"Stay away from us," Adrien glared. He watched as she glanced at his hand, eyes narrowed at the new much more vibrant string connected to Marinette.

"Oh no, did Marinette force her string on you?" Lila had the nerve to say that.

How was it even possible for her to ignore all the pain and fury that Adrien hadn't bothered to mask. The hate that was ripping at their rotting strong.

"Lila, Marinette would never do that," Nino calmly stated.

"But I can see it," Lila pouted, her tears for probably the first time, were real. Adrien knew that for a fact, but they weren't tears of someone hurt. No, they were vengeful and frustrated. Screaming in his mind, **retribution** for this inconvenience. More like a punishment, as she forced her will upon him.

For a moment Adrien wondered if Marinette could feel what he was getting from Lila. He had to reign everything in just in case. He couldn't allow himself to hurt the one he loved. Not like this, not through their connection.

"So you're telling us you can see Adrien and Marinette's string?" Mme. Bustier questioned, uncharacteristically spiteful. "Then you should be able to see that the string wasn't forced on him. As you should have already known, the string has been there for some time."

Now that was new. Adrien couldn't remember ever even catching a glimpse of this string. It wasn't something you could miss under any circumstance. Even at its peak, Adrien string to Ladybug had never been so prominent.

_**Wait**_. Just because he couldn't see it doesn't mean, Marinette hadn't. _But for how long?_ He felt his throat constrict at the mere thought of Marinette waiting on him. God, how long had she seen this and not once did she so much as hint at it.

She actively sought out Chat Noir to tie herself too. She had explained that her string was one-sided and had been for so long. That she had an unrequited soulmate. Fuck! He had always assumed her string was tied to Luka.

"Marinette?" His voice was heavy and layered in too much emotion. Yet he wasn't even able to muster up the courage to ask her. Luckily she seemed to come back to him from her dazed state.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. And boy did that hurt. _She was sorry_. After everything **she** was sorry! "I-I couldn't tell you. I wanted to, but every time I tried I always messed up. But then, you and Kagami, you looked so happy. And I could feel, I felt your love for each other."

**Fuck.** She had even helped him get with Kagami. She watched him tie his string to someone else without so much as a peep.

"How long?" He hated how unsteady his voice was, but it was a blessing. As he could feel Marinette's own mixed turmoil resolve just a bit.

"Since the day you gave me your umbrella," Marinette straightened. "The day in the rain when you apologized to me about the gum incident."

" **God.** Marinette. I'm sorry, I-Marinette," Adrien could never have felt so idiotic. How had he been so oblivious!

"Are you kidding me!?" Lila's voice broke through their little bubble. "You can't seriously believe her! She's nothing but a-"

"Shut up!" Adrien snarled. And again he felt relief surge through him, but also pain. The rotting string broke at last. Finally, he wasn't hers to manipulate. She couldn't' impose herself on him. He was free to let himself feel again. She didn't have any power over him. She couldn't hurt Marinette through him.

"Ahhhh!" Lila screamed as she collapsed to the floor clinging to her fist. But her glare never wavered. "How dare you!? You promised if I got that stupid _bitch_ back you'd be _**mine!**_ "

"What?" the room echoed in shock. Lila's eyes widen as she realized what she'd just said.

"I never said that," Adrien rebuttal, squeezing Marinette's hand as he knew she felt the string break. And the hate that flooded his mind. "All I ever said was we couldn't be friends. That if you wanted to be friends you had to stop trying to hurt the people I love!"

"What?" It was Marinette's turn to question him. "What do you mean? I thought, you said-"

"I know, and I'm so sorry, Marinette. I should have never given you such stupid advice," Adrien admitted. "I was wrong, and you got hurt because of it. And I was a coward. But I couldn't let her get you expelled. I know that's very hypocritical and you have every right to hate me. I-I put you through so much, and I didn't even know how much I was hurting you."

"No, you weren't hurting me, Adrien, you never hurt me," Marinette was still coaxing him to feel better. Giving him strength and understanding. When she just as easily could've let him feel even an ounce of what she'd been through because of him. "I did it to myself. I knew but I chose to do it anyways. It's not your fault."

"You just felt two of my strings break. And you felt it break with Kagami, and you can probably see the other one. It's still there, who knows when I'll make you feel that again."

"You can't blame yourself for that," Marinette chidded. "I-I tried to tie my string to other people. You probably didn't even know, but they broke. I tried it twice. I'm just glad you didn't have to go through that."

"I'm sorry," Adrien found himself yet again in her arms. This time they were strong, pillars that would hide him as he sobbed into the crook of her neck. And he could feel her doing the same, even as she shielded him. Her tears would seep into his outer shirt, as he soaked her shoulder.

All around them he could hear their classmates and teacher yelling. Somehow it was all muffled. Again he was in a bubble alone with Marinette. He knew they couldn't stay like this forever but damn would he try. Even if they were excused, he never let her go. Hands intertwined, or arms wrapped around her or guiding her home.

They safely arrived at the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Absently he remembered handing off a note the principle had scribbled down to her parents. But really he didn't care, not when he was finally experiencing all the love of a person who would never leave his heart. He and Marinette watched the other string fade. This time there was no pain, just a shiver down their spines as it faded away.


	2. Soulstrings

Looking down at their hands, Adrien couldn't wipe off his smile if he cared. Only one string remained, neither were tied to anyone else. A blessing in some ways, but a curse in others. They were superheroes. How were they supposed to explain that to the other?

Sure Chat Noir had tied himself with Marinette, but that bond was broken. And for the first time ever, Adrien couldn't see the string that connected his heart to his lady. Marinette was clearly lost in her own thoughts, but he'd never intrude on her privacy. Even if their string was quite telling. He wouldn't push when he himself had much to hide.

Evidently, it didn't seem to matter as thoughts ended up popping into his mind. He even caught a flicker of him, well Chat him, and Marinette. Not for long it seemed.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Marinette suddenly snapped, all her thoughts vanishing from his mind. "I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it's okay," Adrien tried to soothe but Marinette was becoming frantic. "Really Mari, it's fine."

"But Lila-"

Shit! Of course she would know about what Lila was doing to him. She was connected to him this entire time and he didn't even know it. There was so much guilt that he couldn't have kept that from her. She felt all of his pain and he had always assumed she was _just a good friend_.

"No, it's not your fault," Marinette snapped him from his thought. Yet again he realized he wasn't so good at closing himself off. "You didn't know."

"But you, Marinette, you felt everything," Adrien's voice was so... pathetic. "You've known since the day we met. You would've seen, god, you saw my other strings. And then you helped me with Kagami. Did she know? I never, and you were always doing so much for me. How can you still be happy to say you're bound to _me_."

"Adrien, deep breath," she ordered, holding onto his shoulders and exaggerating her own. "I, there's a lot to this. Like a lot more than I can explain. But even if my love for you was strictly romantic, which it isn't. I still would've done the same thing, Adrien. I just wanted you to be happy, for you to feel all the love you deserved. Because I know how you felt, and one day I realized you didn't need to love me back. I didn't want you to love me back actually. You needed a friend, someone who would support you just because they can. And well, I could. I did! This doesn't have to change anything. Not when you still have a chance with the other person. I know we can't see it, but it's still there. That love doesn't have to be forgotten. I can stay by your side. As your friend, as family, or whatever you want us to be. We both know love doesn't have to leave us for the strings to-to break."

"You deserve better."

"And you deserve the best," she countered stubbornly.

"Who?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean your other strings, you said, um, twice?"

"Oh." Marinette curled her arms around her knees, but still kept Adrien's hand in the other. "Well, first, there was Luka. He-it sounds bad, but he could see the string. It was around when I knew I wanted to be your friend. I thought, maybe our string was just platonic, at least for you if you ever saw it. So I tried t-to move on. Luka was really nice and I wanted to see the string, but I never did. Then one day I decided I had enough waiting and tied my string to him. And I saw his string with me. I felt awful. Even though I was okay with him it wasn't, it wasn't what we would have. It broke. It just snapped, for me and I hurt him. Luka promised me it was okay, but I still, I felt guilty for a while. I couldn't reciprocate the bond even if I tried. Then I realized that was okay. I was already proving it trying to move on from you."

"That sounds awful," Adrien moved closer, cuddling her into his side. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"And the other, I can't tell you who he is. But, I feel awful. I-it broke today."

Adrien wanted her to know he knew, but Ladybug was strict about their identities. And he couldn't risk Hawkmoth finding out about her. He wouldn't put her through any more unnecessary pain because of him.

"I didn't want to let go," Marinette cried. "I know I actually love him. I do but, you needed me. And it was already thinning. But I didn't want it to end. I-I still don't want to let him go."

"Mari," Adrien could feel all the sincerity pouring out her in waves. Feel the shame at wanting to stay tied to his other self. If only he could tell her. He knew from experience that the strings wouldn't reveal his identity, but he still wanted to ease her pain. "Maybe things can still work out?"

"I don't want to leave you," she whimpered. "I know there's someone better for you. You always had a string with them. I don't want to come between that."

"And you won't," Adrien stated. "She and I, well she has someone else. I've known that for a long time. She's still important to me, and I do still love her, I think I always will. But you deserve someone that didn't hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me."

"Not intentionally, but I did. Marinette, I never considered what you could be to me. I let Lila-I let her hurt you, because I made a stupid deal with her that she twisted to force her string on me. I was afraid if I tried to do anything more she'd hurt you again, worse than just words. You could probably feel it through me, but she-she would have. I couldn't let her, and she still kept hurting you."

"You were trying to protect me from worse. Lila was never subtle about what she wanted to do to me, Adrien. She made that clear when she threatened-"

"She threatened you?!"

"Before you had to put up with her, I promise there's no way anyone knew," Marinette explained. "I-I didn't tell anyone."

Adrien shuddered in revulsion, and Marinette picked up on his building rage.

"Please don't be angry, you didn't know, and I didn't even try to get help. I didn't want you to have to pick a side. Because you and I both know it wouldn't be hers. Then she would've done the same she did to me but to you. Maybe worse."

"What did she say?"

"Something I didn't believe. I thought I could trust them-our class- to see through her or at least know me enough. I was wrong. Not that she succeeded, but no one believed me either. And, well she said she'd have you, in a way she was right," Marinette pulled away. "She got to your father, and she tied you together. At first I didn't know. But I could feel it, how wrong it was. And then I saw it rotting and I realized what happened. I was so disappointed that I thought you..."

"That I agreed to be tied to her," he finished with a cringe.

"I didn't know people could actually do what she did. Or force it as long as she did. But I know she saw it, my string. Because she thought it was some silly crush before, but then she could see your strings and it just, I don't know. She got worse. Because she knew, and everyone knew about mine and when I told them I could see hers it was all she needed. When I tried to say it was rotting, everyone assumed I was jealous of what you and Lila had, that I was petty enough to hate her for just being tied to you."

"I wish it was different," Adrien sighed. "That I didn't take so long to see what was right in front of me this entire time."

"We can't change what happened," Marinette interjected. "But if we could I'd still be okay with waiting. Take out the Lila part, and I can say I was content. I would be okay with everything."

"How?"

"Because," Marinette shrugged. "Because you got to be happy, and you got to be loved by other people. People who cared, and that's what mattered to me. I could have been alone for the rest of my life if you could just be happy and loved."

"But I want you to be safe and not hurt by me. You deserved to be protected and heard. You deserve someone who wouldn't hurt you, not like I will. Someone who has the courage to be with you."

"You never hurt me Adrien," Marinette insisted. "I mean it, even if I was destined for another it wouldn't have changed much. I'd still feel their everything, their pain, their fury, and their reality. If anything you are all I could have asked for. You're brave even if you think otherwise, I know how strong you are. I've always known how sympathetic you can be, and how much you sacrifice to show your devotion. But I don't want you to sacrifice anything, not for me. Not when we could just be there for each other. When you need me I'll be right there, and maybe if I need you, you'll stay by my side."

"Of course, anything," Adrien agreed without hesitation. "I want to be with you, to stay by your side, always. I don't think I'm ready for more though. I-I keep hurting the people I love, and I don't want to do that to you. Ever again. I know its not exactly fair, you've been waiting for me for so long, but-"

"Like I said, nothing has to change. Not now, not ever if that's what you want. I won't be disappointed, I'm just happy to stay with you, however you want that," Marinette reminded.

"You're too good for me."

"And you're the best thing that could ever have happened to me."

Buzz. Buzz.

Adrien and Marinette looked at their phones, recognizing the alert.

"I-I gotta go. Father would want me to stay with Gorilla when akumas show up," Adrien quickly excused himself. "I promise I'll come back. Just stay safe for me, please."

"And you do the same," Marinette forced herself to agree.

Neither had the time to waste. As Adrien ran out of the bakery, Marinette called her transformation and Ladybug was the first to arrive at the scene. Not a minute later Chat Noir showed, but clearly he was different. Now wasn't the time to talk they had to focus.

Rushing forward they listened to the akuma drone on and on. Yet another student of Francoise Dupont. But the more she monologues, the easier it was to recognize her.

"Lila," Chat hissed much darker than Ladybug had ever heard.

Even Chat Blanc hadn't sounded so vengeful. Not that she could blame his ire, after all the liar had caused them so much trouble. Still they had a job to do and tedious as it may be, they were both keen to wrap things up.

The defeat was quicker than almost any other akuma, rivalling even Mister Pidgeon. If that wasn't so surprising, then the fact they had plenty of time gave them the perfect opportunity for a chit chat.


End file.
